Protection against shot from hand firearms and artillery.



Patented Sept. 16, I902. A. LEVEN. PROTECTION AGAINST SHOT FROM HAND FIREARMS AND ARTILLERY.

(Applicutioqfiled-Apr. 12, 1900) (No Model.

J% OQ OOQ'OGOG OOOGOOGO O'GOOOOQOO OOOOOOOCD GOOOOOQOC' OOOOGOOQ OOOOO-OOOO GOOOGOOG OOGOOOOO UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPI'I LEVEN, OF COLOGNE, GERMANY.

PROTECTION AGAINST SHOT FROM HAND FIREARMS AND ARTILLERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,100, dated September 16, 1902.

Application filed April 12, 1900. Serial No. 12,649. (No model.)

To all" who/n it 7771017 concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH LEVEN,a citizen of the German Empire, residing in Cologneon-the-Rhine, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements for Protection Against Shot from Hand Firearms and Artillery, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to lessen or entirely destroy the piercing force of projectiles, and this I accomplish by placing in front of the object to be protected a screen or barrier, so constructed that it will offer different degrees of resistance to the piercing force of the projectile. The whole object of my protecting screen is to lessen or completely destroy the piercing power of a projectile, and this is accomplished by causing the projectile to tumble after passing the screen, so that instead of striking an object squarely with the point it strikes slantingly or keyholes--that is, the hole made by the projectile has the form of a keyhole instead of being circular. screen is not to stop the projectile, as in the case of armor-plate, but rather to present to the projectile a surface offering different degrees of resistance to its piercing power. It results, therefore, that those portions of the projectile that meet with the greater resistance are retarded in theircourse, while those parts that meet with little or no resistance continue on in their forward movement, and the projectile will be given a rotary motion in the plane of its longitudinal axis. Instead, therefore, of striking directly and squarely against the object the projectile will strike more or less slantingly, and its piercing force will be accordingly lessened or destroyed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a portion of one of the screens, in this instance consisting of a perforated steel plate. Fig.

2 is a diagrammatic view showing a vessel equipped with the improved screens.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the screen consists, preferably, of a perforated steel plate A, al-

The object of the plate or though instead of forming the perforations a entirely through the plate they may be bored only partially through, or a perforated plate may be employed with a thin unperforated plate attached thereto, the only object being to provide a screen or barrier that will offer surface of varying resistance to the piercing force of the projectile.

One manner of practically employing the screens is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2, wherein a vessel is shown protected by the screens. The screens are mounted on suitable frames or carriers B, and when in operative position hang perpendicularly over the ships side and are of such length that the lower edge extends below the water, thus giving additional support to the screen. When not in use, the lower portion of the screen may be drawn in toward the ships side by any suitable means, such as Windlass 0, thus withdrawing the lower edge from the water, and the screen will therefore offer no resistance to the ships course.

It will of course be understood that several of the screens may be employed, placed one before the other, and that instead of being movable, as described in connection with the protection of ships, it may be fixed and rigid.

What I claim is- 1. A screen or barrier, for protection against projectiles constructed to present a surface of different degrees of resistance to the piercing force of the projectile, whereby the projectile will be given a rotation in the plane of its longitudinal axis; substantially as described.

2. A screen or barrier for protection against projectiles, consisting of a perforated metal plate.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 27th day of March, 1900, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALOLPII LEVEN. lVitnesses:

WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HAsrER. 

